Air Breather
by Labrynth-of-Dreams
Summary: Anila is a girl who lives with her dad in Paris, Illinois. She lives on a farm with her dog Cookie and a couple niehbors. One night while sneeking out she falls out of one of her favorite trees, but is saved by a magical creature and discovers a new word
1. Sneaking Out

**A/N: Woot woot! New story. Check out my other one A Life Lived Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

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I was sitting under my favorite tree, the willow, looking at my two-story white house. My bare-feet could feel the slick grass, and my nose could smell the fresh air. The wind was blowing and my hair was tangled from running home. That's when the light came on.

The porch light of the house came on and I imminently felt my pulse speed up. I shifted my weight and waited for the worst.

My black and white shepherd dog, Cookie, started sniffing the earth when she stepped out of the house. I felt a cough coming up to my throat and with all my might I held it back. I didn't move, I didn't even breathe. She looked up and spun in three circles then took off in the opposite direction. I let the cough out and heard Cookie bark and I could just feel her paws pounding back over to me. I got out of the shade from under the tree and started to run. I love to run with my dog. My dad says I was born a natural runner.

Cookie was dropped off at our house when she was first born. Her eyes weren't even open yet. She just cried and yawned and fell asleep. Her mom was in there too, but she never woke up. My dad never like dogs until we could keep Cookie. And there was plenty of room for Cookie.

We live in Illinois on a deserted farm, with no animals, crops, or even a single tractor. I wouldn't even call it a farm, but it's so huge! It had trails that we could walk in and empty barns with rope tied to the top so we could swing. The most favorite part is the willow tree. I can sit under it at anytime and just relax, think, or even read. My dad doesn't even have to pay rent or heat bills. We have well water and a computer, but no TV.

My dad is a writer so he's very descriptive when we talk about the weather! Yeah, I said the Weather! He writes fiction books and there always well written. His latest one, Stranger without a Face, is my favorite so far.

My curly black hair was flying behind my back as I ran to the creek and Cookie followed. She jumped on me when I dared to look around and covered my face in slobbery kisses. I laughed while making little protests. I petted her when she let me breathe. Her soft silky coat felt so warm. The rocks under my butt were very uncomfortable so I got up. I grabbed a few into the flowing river while Cookie tried to catch it before it went into the water. She hated water; I don't know how we kept her coat so clean.

"Naomi, come on your going to get cold!" It was my dad. He doesn't know about the creek, and I never tell him. Most of my secret places I keep secret. It's just my thinking time.

"Well, Cookie, looks like our fun is over." She wined and I stood up.

"C'mon." I climbed the four- foot mountain and walked up the huge rocky drive way back to my house. The breeze had calmed down a lot. Like stood still. Cookie noticed it to because she started turning in circles. I kept walking until I hit the door. I walked past the kitchen (with mud tracks probably behind me) and turned left into the computer room.

I pulled up the Weather Bug to see a huge storm coming.

"Well, look at that Cookie; you get to sleep with me tonight." She barked a satisfaction and lay at my feet.

"Naomi, that you?" my dad was probably in his chair writing or reading.

"Yeah, gonna check my email real quick."

"What about your homework?" Cookie sighed as if he said it all the time (which he does).

"That too." I clicked on Gmail and found one new message.

_Hey,_

_Just wanting to let you know about the full moon tonight. I'll be thinking about you._

_Love, _

_Mom. _

My mom was also a writer. Some director wanted it to turn into a movie, so she's down there to make sure they don't screw anything up. I miss her, but she always has some news for me. I told her I missed her, finished my homework and headed upstairs.

My room is on the second floor. I have the regular bed, closet mirror, bathroom, and a window that I can escape out of.

I climb the thirty-two brown, carpeted stairs till I hit my bedroom door. In my bedroom I have a queen sized bed with monkeys' on the big blanket. I have a pillow with my name on it. I sit on my bed and read my book, The Nature of Jade. Cookie jumps on my bed, does three turns, and she lies down. I pet her and put my book down.

I think about me, sounds shallow I know, but I can't help thinking about my life. I'm 5 foot 3' and I have black wavy hair that comes down to my waist, and a heart shaped face. I have almond shaped eyes. And hazel eyes. And at school I have friends of course.

Cookie sighs and I no she's ready to escape out the window also.

"Come on girl. Let's go." I hop out of bed and her tail starts to wag. I go to the window and open its creaky frame. I get it all the way open and step out into the cool night. The scratchy roof hurts my bare feet, and my hair is imminently blown away from my face and I have to squint my eyes to see.

Cookie jumps out and off the roof. I watched her run to the barn and disappear behind the wood. I wait until she comes back dragging with her teeth a mattress. She brings it to just below the roof.

"Good, Cookie." I jump and land on my feet on the mattress. I picked up the mattress and went to put it back behind the barn.

_Come together. _

I jump at the sound, but don't see anything that could have made the noise.

"Grrrrr." Cookie growls as her lips expose her teeth.

I started running to this tree that I love to climb with a growling Cookie behind me.

"Come on, It was nothing." The wet grass feels good on my feet so I keep running with my hands in the air feeling the wind. I just absolutely loved the wind!

I got to my tree and held on to my branch and put my feet around it and pulled myself up. I see Cookie barking at me as I get higher and higher. And then, as quick as a pulse my foot slipped and I began to fall.

Pain isn't actually that bad. I think a part of my brain just turned off and I couldn't feel anything. I was numb. I kept hitting one limb after another and I could faintly hear Cookie barking. And then I hit something. I knew it wasn't a branch because it didn't give way. I was fury I knew that, but I could tell it was soft also. I opened my eyes and saw feathers. Not just feathers, but wings. I heard the sound of hooves and a snort. From what I read in stories I knew this had to be a Pegasus. But how?

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**A/N: Review my fellow readers!!!!!!!!!!1**

**And i will give you a sneak peak of the next chapter!!!!!!!!!**

**Luv,**

**Labrynth-of-Dreams**


	2. Ugh! Rotten Milk!

We were gliding in the air, I just don't know how high. I don't open my eyes scared that I would other throw up, or fall off. I keep feeling the change of wind when the Pegasus flapped her wings. I could faintly hear Cookie barking in the back of my head, but we were so far away.

Don't think I'm not scared because I am. Just I'm so freaked that I'm not yelling, screaming, and flapping my arms around. I could tell that we were dropping because a) Cookie was getting louder b) My butt was lifting off the freaking horse.

The Pegasus gently touched the ground and I flew past it and into a tree. That wasn't the weird thing. The thing was the tree didn't hurt. Well it didn't feel good but it felt like being flung into a mattress. I fell back onto the grass with a little head ache. I felt Cookie licking my face to make sure I was okay, but I also felt someone nudging my leg.

"Cookie, I'm fine, get off." She backed up and started panting and wagging her tail.

You know that sound that horses make that sounds like there sneezing, well that's what the Pegasus did, but it sounded more graceful (don't ask me how, because I don't know.)

"Wow!" I get up and the horse sneezes again. She shook her mane and flapped her wings once. I noticed on her neck she had a rolled up note. Poor thing much be itching like crazy. It starts to rain like the weather predicted and I was getting cold.

"Come here hun; let me get that off of you." She came to me like I said and I petted her nose. She was really soft. I untied the note from her blonde mane.

"I got to get home. And I need to hide you." She sneezed again and fell onto her knees. Cookie barked and started running home. I didn't know what the Pegasus was asking, but I threw one leg over and climbed on. I held onto her mane and sat there. She didn't move or even sneezed again.

I pulled out the note since I wasn't going anywhere and read it.

_Have fun with Anila, beautiful wind, until we get there._

_Love,_

_M.N._

M.N.? Who was that?

Well apparently her name was Anila. How beautiful, beautiful wind? What does that mean? I didn't have much of a choice so I tried.

"Up Anila," I spoke firmly. She slowly stood up and started walking. Well apparently we were not flying.

"Fly Anila?" She began to run. Not running like usual horses, but faster than a cheetah (and I really don't think horses can run that fast). I grabbed onto her neck and started freaking. Her mane caught in my mouth and I kept trying to spit it out. She began to flap her wings which almost made me fall off which would not be good. I could just feel when her legs lifted from the ground and we were in the air. The ground kept getting farther and farther away. I was too afraid to let go.

I looked down to see my father come out and scream my name and scratch his head and then go back in side.

"Anila, I need to get in my room with out my dad seeing me! Can you drop me off on my roof?" she sneezed, but obeyed. I hopped off and almost went into my room before I remembered something.

"Anila hide in the barn with Cookie!" she flapped her wings away and I went inside, until I heard my father's footsteps.

"Oh shit!" I ran into my closet and changed clothes. I grabbed a dirty towel from the basket (eww) but it will have to work. I wrapped my head in the towel right when the door opened.

"Oh, hey I didn't see you in here." He scratched his head and turned around to make sure no one was playing tricks on him.

"Just took a shower."

"I didn't hear water running?" Nice going Naomi!

"Umm, I meant bath. I needed to relax."

"At 5:30 in the morning?"

"I'm a teenager dad, I got problems."

"Guess your right." He turned around to leave, but I wasn't finished.

"Why were you up at 5:30?" he quickly turned back towards me.

"I thought I heard a tree fall outside, but just a couple branches. Hey! Didn't I tell you there was going to be a storm?! Close your window! You're going to get the carpet wet!" Oops.

"Sorry dad."

"Come on, you got school in an hour read a book, or homework, or something."

"Okay dad.

"And do you know were Cookie is?"

"Umm, outside. She had to go, and I didn't want her to go in my bed."

"'K" he turned around and went back downstairs. Wow that was close. And what the fuck?! I did not break a tree!

I went downstairs and got out a bowl of cereal. Rice Krispies yum! I poured the milk and got the spoon and sat at the table. I ate a couple bites when I heard scratching at the door. I opened it to see a wet Cookie panting at the door.

"Awe poor baby, come on in." she gladly stepped in and did a big shake. Ugh, Mud!

Then I had a feeling. The ones that make you light headed, your heart pounding, and scared to death feeling. I was going to puke! I hurriedly ran to the bathroom and upchucked my cereal into the bowl.

"Naomi? Are you okay?"

"No!" I whipped my mouth on my sleeve and put my head on the bathtub rim. Dad came running in shocked. He made his face calm, flushed the toilet, picked me up, and laid me on the couch.

"I'm sorry."

"How dare you make me throw up!" I joked.

"I didn't mean it!"

"Oh yes you did! You were so mad at me you made me eat rotten milk!" He smiled went to the kitchen and dumped the milk out.

"Better?"

"Yes," I got up and went back to the kitchen and grabbed a pop tart.

"Are you going to be okay to go to school?"

"Dad, I can drive myself to school. I'll be fine, just rotten milk."

I went to the sleeping Cookie at the stairs and petted her as I went to put on make-up and blow-dry my hair. I went back down grabbed the keys for my blue bug, hopped in and headed to school. When I looked back at the barn Anila wasn't there.

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**A/N: Review!!!!!!!!!!!**

**It would be like riding a Pegasus through the sky!!!!**

**Luv,**

**Labrynth-of-Dreams**


	3. Going to School

I kept driving, I didn't care Amaya could have just been a hallucination. Probably was, so I'm not going to worry about it. I drove down the mile long drive way.

School was a thirty minute drive from my house so you can imagine me waking up really early just to get there. I'm not one of those girls that takes and hour to get ready, only thirty minuets at most. We also live so far from school the bus won't pick me up, so once I became old enough to drive Dad wrote a book and gave all the money from it to me so I could buy a car. The cheapest thing there was this blue Bug.

At the end of the drive way I saw the mail box pulled up to it and grabbed the mail. I looked it over, junk mail, and threw it in the passenger seat. I kept driving with the window down felling the crisp fall air.

I absolutely love fall. It's because a) It's my birthday month and b) I love the smell and feel of it. The weather is just cold enough to wear a jacket, but not to cold to go outside. It's the season wear the little kids have the cute rosy cheeks and the red nose. The season wear you feel like camping and fishing and playing in the trees.

I always think that from living in Illinois, in the summer, it's too hot and sticky and in the winter it's very cold. Also in the spring the weather is so bad it scares the bejezzus out of me. That's why I always love the fall it's just right for me.

I take a turn on highway 40 and hit West Vigo High School. The high school is connected to the middle school which is an inconvenienced because little kids like me. Yeah how lucky am I right? Well I like infants not kids who can talk bad about you and all that jazz. The little baby's that you can't let go or you feel they'll be in danger. Yeah I even picked out the names for my kids (it's a chick thing). So we have to eat with the middle school, swim with the middle school, but we can't talk to the middle school. WTF? So I pulled up the drive way and walked through the parking lot in my boots (30$ at Icing!) that look like Indian boots by the way, fringes and all.

I walked in the green doors and was greeted by the office lady, Judy, and headed down the hallway to my locker. Our lockers are green and small. And there are at least 1,000 lockers. I have locker 299 and I open it. I put my bag and my jacket in there a slam the door.

I small squeak escapes when my friend Cheyenne appears in front of my eyes.

"Don't do that!"

"Sorry it's funny to watch you jump. You're like a scared little bunny." I raised my eyebrow and began to walk in the direction of the middle school. I began to smell biscuits and gravy, my favorite! I always get double and the cafeteria lady always asks were I put it all.

"A bunny really?"

"Yeah a really white one too."

"Just because you can get a tan and I can't doesn't mean you can make fun of my almost albinoness." She laughed and we got in line right in front of Dimitri. Oh Dimitri how I love thee. Standing 5'9 (and three quarters) I have direct eye contact with his lips. YUMMY! He had nice brown hair that kind of lays flat but what ever, nice brown eyes, and nice strong firm hands and yes a nice tight butt.

When he first moved here in 6th grade he was my one mile away neighbor. We met on the road and he invited me to go four-wheeling with him. I was young and wasn't aloud to leave the lawn, but my puppy Cookie and I snuck out for the first time.

I road on the back of his four wheeler and he did crazy turns. I held onto the back of the four-wheeler instead of wrapping my arms around his waist. He dropped me off at my house (too soon) and I fell off. Oh God! It looked so bad and embarrassing! It was winter I had a huge jacket that made me have to strain my arms to put them at my sides.

The point is I have been in love with him ever since and he forgot me and left with Chelsea the senior. Like all boys do.

The bad thing is he smokes pot (or weed whatever) and he probably has sex with Chelsea every second he got. He's a bad influence, but the love of my life.

I reached over him to get the white milk, hoping he will notice me and say hi, but when I do I trip on my boot fringe and my face meets floor. There best friends and meet often.

"Oh Anila are you ok?" Cheyenne was trying to help me up while Dimitri turned and watched me stand. He giggled a little and turned back around.

"Thanks Chey." I picked up my now dented milk and grabbed my plate of biscuits and gravy.

"Maybe boots were a bad idea for today."

"There fine it's just me."

"I like your boots Anila." Dimitri kind of had his head turn and whispered it to me.

"Uh thanks?"

"Ignore him Anila. We have to get to our table before those little eighth graders steal it again." I smiled at him, grabbed my plate and headed to our table. Cheyenne and I are always the first to arrive at the table. Soon Ashley came, then Peggy, then Nellie, and lastly Alex. Who decided not to sit with Taylor this morning.

"Hey Anila how's it going?" Ashley sat down at her chair and turned to me.

Ashley is our gothic friend (who I absolutely adore).

"Good, day dreaming a lot, but I haven't run into walls yet."

"Just the floor is all." Cheyenne piped up.

"Well that's normal for Anila. Hey I need you to give this to your dad so I can see if he approves so I can get it published."

"I'll see what I can do." We were quiet from then on, not really needing to say anything.

I took one big bite of my food and imminently felt that feeling of sickness. I bent over clutching my stomach and I could feel Ashley rubbing my back.

"Are you sick Anila?"

"Apparently." I said then threw up on the floor. I hear the sound of people freaking out and my friend Nellie got up to get a teacher. I sat there not feeling sick anymore. My boots at least didn't get anything on them (whoohoo!). I sat back up ready to leave when Mr. Dillard came and grabbed my arm.

"Oww." I protested, but he didn't seem to care until we reached the nurses station.

"Barbie, I got a new one." Barbie was the nurse. Who could even name there kid that? If I wanted to I would cry for her.

"What happened Anila?"

"I kind of upchucked in the Cafeteria."

"How do you feel now?"

"Fine." another kid in the corner was sniffling cries.

"Come here." She gave me a thermometer and I stuck it under my tongue. I went to sit at the couch/bed type things and lay down.

After a while the thermometer beeped and I got up and handed it to Barbie.

"89.7? That can't be right." Barbie took the thermometer and started checking it.

"What wrong with it?" I asked.

"I don't know. Well you're going home anyway. Do you drive or do you want me to call your dad?"

"I guess I'll drive." I never liked when my dad came to my school. One time I forgot my lunch and he came into my math class to give it to me. He was still in his underwear. Who wears Sponge Bob underwear any more?

And then there's a problem with my car, because then he would have to drive me to school the next day and I didn't want to do that, again.

She gave me a pass and I dragged my feet to the office and gave them a pass to leave.

I hoped in my car buckled up and headed back home. Not before I almost ran over the Pegasus. Ugh, Amaya, I swear! I got out of the car and went to her and petted her coat. She looked very tired and her hooves looked dirty.

"Amaya, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the barn."

She did one of those sneezing things again and I petted her more.

"I need to get home, and I need my ca-" before I could finish she got behind my car and started pushing it with her head. "Oh, Amaya, don't do that. You'll give yourself a headache." She looked sad and started trotting in the direction of my house. Dammit! I hate having a soft heart!

"Come, on Amaya." I yelled after her. "You'll have to take me to school tomorrow then, because I won't have my car." She came trotting back as happy as can be and bent down so I could hop on.

"Fly Amaya." I commanded and off we went. The sun felt so good against my skin and if I could sun bathe on Amaya I would. I saw Paris, Illinois pass us and I started freaking. She just passed my house!

"Amaya to my house!" she didn't listen. She kept flying over and I swear I think we passed a couple of planes. "What are you doing?!" she made a short sneeze and started falling to the ground.

I buried my face into her neck and waited for the worst until I felt the air stop moving.

I opened my eyes to see an open field. Nothing special about it, just trees surrounding a large grass area the size of a football field. I hopped off of Amaya when she got to her knees and started walking towards the middle. The wind started picking up and the leaves danced together in the trees.

_My own children come together at last._

That voice! I heard it again. The wind was faster than before and I wrapped my black jacket around me tighter. My cheeks were freezing and my teeth were chattering. I was kind of bouncing to stay warm, but it didn't help.

I don't know why, but I felt like I was waiting for something.

That's when the five people jumped and joined me.

"YAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" I screamed.

"What's wrong with you? God, I didn't fall _that_ fast!"


	4. The Elements

Not really expecting random people falling out of the sky, but no one does. Right? Right. So when the four faces of very beautiful people fall out of the sky well you kind of freak.

"Hello, Anila you okay?" A girl with a blue flowing dress, bright blue eyes, and beautiful blonde hair came to me a waved in front of my face.

"She's probably thinking were freaks like all the other times." A girl with long black hair that curled and wearing a black dress, that when she made a little twitch it moved, crossed her arms and looked away.

"Oh shut up, she's just scared. I mean you just had to fall out of the sky." A girl with glowing red hair with a red dress yelled at the other girl.

The only girl with brown hair and a green dress stayed quiet and looked away when I looked at her.

"Ember, just because you can turn anyone into ash does not mean you can yell at me!" she turned to apparently the red headed Ember and yelled back.

"Well there is no need to yell at my friend!"

"My god, will you both shut up!" Blondie said, flipping her hair at them and looking at me. "Don't worry about them. I'm Willow; it's an honor to meet you." She put out her hand and I took it.

"Uh, Anila, nice to meet you too."

"This is Ember, Fate, and Gigi. Gigi doesn't talk much, but she knows how to talk to you when you can get her to talk." She smiled her warm smile and she kind of bent to the side to look behind me. "Oh my goodness, Amaya, is that you?"

She went over to the Pegasus and petted her neck. "You must be thirsty." She lifted her hand high in the air and pounded it on the ground. She moved away and there left a little pond, the littlest I've ever seen. "Drink up!"

My mouth was hanging open and I could see Fate give me a weird look.

"H-How did you do that?"

"That's nothing you should see what I do with rain, serious damage." She smiled and Ember came running towards me her glowing red hair flying behind her.

"Pssh, that's not damage. You should see me when I use fire then you'll know what damage is." Fate stayed where she was, but screamed:

"Just wait till I touch someone!"

"She is death, if she touches anyone or thing it will automatically die." Ember crossed her arms and Willow put a hand on her hip. I knew I should have been asking questions, but I kept my mouth shut. I knew I will soon get answers and fast… I hope.

I looked out at Amaya, and she was still drinking her water. I quickly went to her and climbed on her back. She sneezed and started flapping her wings. I didn't want to see these people. I didn't want to be here.

"Anila, were you planning on going?" Willow looked at me with her head cocked to the side.

"Away from you, your not really here, and neither is Amaya. You're all just a dream from my crash and I'm actually laying in a hospital in a coma."

"Anila, get down from there! Your air and we need you!" I started to rise and didn't care.

"I want to be a normal girl!" wow, that sounded better in my head.

"You can't just let her go!" It was Gigi, she was speaking.

"We have to, Mother said we can't force anyone against there free will." It was Willow.

I was miles away from them and I told Amaya to take me home this time, and I meant the real one. We were over the hills (and far away…hehe) and in the clouds. I saw the zoo and commanded Amaya to stop.

"Amaya go down in the zoo hurry." I totally forgot I was with the monkeys today. I started a job two years back and every other day after school I would help with the monkeys. I absolutely loved the monkeys. There soft fur on my arms, the cute faces when they smile at you, how they always want to cuddle, and how there always full of energy and ready to play.

Amaya stopped at the gates and dropped me off.

"Amaya, go to the barn at my house and eat some hay. I have to work here till six. I will be back by then. Now shoo!" she left after nudging me and giving me a kiss with her big Pegasus lips. I laughed and walked through the gates.

"Oh there you are Anila. Didn't think I was gonna see ya today." Mrs. Grodge, the gate keeper smiled at me and I said hello and hurried to the monkey exhibit. I walked in putting on the overalls that were hanging on the hook and walked to wear Mr. Erwin was.

The Monkey Exhibit is huge with tons of monkey bars, trees, and other things a monkey would want to play on. I always help with food and baths and just playing with them. My favorite is Bailey. She was born a year ago and is very cuddly. She thinks of me as her sister, I think and whenever I walk in she jumps on my back.

"Anila, come help me!" it was my boss Mrs. Crater, but we had to call her ma'am.

"Yes ma'am." She had a screeching monkey in her arms and it was soaking wet. It was also Bailey. She was reaching for me. I opened my arms and she flew into them and gave me a hug.

"Aww, did you miss your mama?" she huffed and tucked her head into my shoulder.

"She was freaking out because you didn't show today."

"I'm sorry ma'am I was having trouble with my car. It wouldn't even budge." This was true.

"Well Anila, I wouldn't leave her or she'll trash this exhibit."

"Yes ma'am."

"Finish her bath; I'm going to go give Donald his." Who names a monkey Donald? Oh yeah, me. I was in charge of names for a while and I was eating a McDonald's burger, so yeah I didn't know what to call him and I think you get the rest.

I went into the bathing room in the back where Chichi was getting her bath.

"There ya are Anila." It was Janice, the other volunteer.

"Yeah, how's Chichi?"

"Good, dirty, but good." I put Bailey in her tub and gave her a chew toy while I gave her a bath. I always tickle her on her tummy and she laughs. I scrubbed her with strawberry shampoo and rinsed her off. I got a towel and I wrapped her in it. After all of this I was half way wet and covered in dirt, but Bailey was squeaky clean.

She was on the ground with her towel in her hand and the other hand holding mine. She smiled at me and I went to go to the drying room. It's mostly a room with warm fans all over and we like to play in there.

There was a green padded seat that I sit in, and rope loops at the top so the monkey can swing. Today wasn't like that.

I went in and sat down and Bailey sat on my lap with her head on my chest. I pet her now clean fur on her back and she sucked her thumb. I rocked back and forth.

"Bailey, do you know you remind me of my own daughter."

"Eeep!" I chuckled.

We didn't say anything afterwards. After about five minuets I heard her snore and I moved her onto my shoulder. She didn't wake up and I got up and left the room. I gently closed the door and walked to the bedrooms. In Bailey's bedroom there was a white crib with a pink blanket I got her when she was first born, a little stuffed monkey, and a pillow with a sewn in birth certificate and a picture on her wall. On the floor there were a couple of toys and a soft dark blue carpet. I laid her on her pillow and covered her with her blanket. She was still snoring. I smiled and touched her cheek.

"Crazy things are happening, but I'm glad you still are safe and sound." I walked out carefully as to not wake Bailey. I ran into Mrs. Crater.

"Hello ma'am."

"Where's Bailey?"

"Sleeping'."

"Oh well then you can leave good job Anila."

"Thank you ma'am," I left in a hurry, putting the wet muddy overalls on the hook, and taking off the boots. I ran for my car when I realized I didn't have it. Well, hell!

"Amaya, come on girl I need a ride!" I screamed to know one. I waited five minuets and she apparently wasn't coming.

I decided to walk home since it was only, hmmm carry the nine and round the two, sixteen blocks. Time for some exercise, I got to walking. It was about seven and in Illinois in the fall, its dark as ever except for the yellow street lights.

Wouldn't it be cool if we had blue street lights? Or green? Or maybe like different colors for each street? How much more fun would driving be if we had that?

While I was babbling to myself I heard a screeching sound around a corner. I kept walking hoping not to hear again or get caught in it when I heard my name.

"An-ila!" It didn't sound human more animal. I looked around in the alley when I saw a figure laying on the ground and twitching, also a figure of a man with a knife, it looked like, in his hand. He had it raised above his head and walked up to him in a hurry.

"Excuse me?" he looked over at me and licked his lips. Eww, I just finished washing a monkey and probably smell bad. I drew my attention away from the perverted man and saw that he had pined down my Amaya! Hell no he did not!

"What in the hell are you doing?" I yelled and drew closer to Amaya.

"Don't touch this creature, you don't know what's its capable of doing."

"Don't you touch her or I'll rip the very flesh of your neck off." Okay, I wasn't planning on doing that, but something pretty close. I never had this much courage, but this man didn't seem like a threat.

He was wearing a black suit and a white tie. He had greased back hair (eww) and a wedding ring. So he doesn't really look like a murderer.

"I swear kid back away now and you won't get hurt by this filth." He spat. He moved his arm back and with one swift move tried to hit Amaya.

See how I said tried. I reached my arm out stretching for the knife and the man flew into the wall right behind him and soon peeled off and fell to the cold gray ground in a heap of flesh and bone and blood. I stared wide eyed while Amaya stood up licked my face and got on her knees.

"Umm." She snorted and moved her tail to get me on her. I slowly got on and when she took off I was still staring at the man who slowly started twitching till we were to far away to see. "Let's go home Amaya." The wind picked up and I started to cry.


	5. The School

He is not dead, he is not dead, and I hope to god he is not dead. I kept saying to myself to calm the crying. As you all saw I did not kill him, he was twitching. Right? Right. So why am I crying? Well I just threw an approximately 160 pound man into a brick wall when I am only 120. That's amazing if I do say so myself. But it's supposed to be impossible. Well at least rare, and trust me I don't work out on a regular basis it's more of just during gym class.

Amaya was hiding in the barn when I walked inside to see my dad drinking coffee and staring into the distance. The white glass was shaking and his hair was messed up. The kitchen was a mess filled with broken plates and glass. The window over the sink was busted and the yellow curtain was ripped. I looked into the computer room to see no computer. I walked into the living room to see a rip out of the couch. I went into my room slowly and saw nothing. There was carpet and my window was busted open, but everything was gone. I put my stuff on the floor and ran down stairs.

"Dad what the hell happened?" he kept staring and took another sip.

"They came for you, but you weren't here."

"Who? What's going on dad?"

"The spirits, they want you."

"Dad, are you okay?" I went and put my hand on his arm, but he finally looked up and flinched.

"Get out of my house!"

"What dad it's me!"

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!" he screamed and was crying. His face was beet red and I was scared. I heard crashing and laughing upstairs. I hurried up there before my dad killed me and opened the door.

There was a stream of light and laughing and I tried to squint.

"Annnnniiiiiilllllllaaaaaaa," it hissed. I started to move around to try to find my bag when the light disappeared and so did my bag. The wind calmed until a fierce pain in my chest came shooting into me. I screamed and saw that light again. The pain felt like acupuncture but with swords and not just the end in you but the whole thing down to the handle. I heard laughing and my name getting called again. I finally collapsed into a heap when the light finally went out.

I woke up in a dark room with little circle dim lights shining from an almost two story high ceiling. The kind you see at art galleries. I moved and felt a comfy familiar bed under my head. I looked to my right to see a cherry wood door (my favorite wood, how weird is it to have a favorite wood?) and walls with clouds on them. The weird thing is the clouds looked as if they were moving in a circle around the room. I got on my elbows and saw another bed and a closet to its right corner. The room was as wide as my old room, but way taller. I looked down and saw me wearing my jeans and a hoodie, but my hair was longer, down to my butt and it had pretty loose ringlets. I touched it and it felt like silk and not that slimy kind.

There was a knock on the door and it opened without me saying anything.

"Oh, your awake I was just bringing the last of your clothes." It was Willow from the meadow. "I didn't want to wake you."

"Um, you didn't. Where am I?"

"You're in Raven Wolf Academy, one of the best schools for element workings."

"Element workings?"

"Yeah you know," she came and sat on the bed that I now realized had my monkey blanket on it. "Water, Fire, Earth, Air, Spirit, and Death."

"Wait so I'm going to be studying elements?"

"Well only one, your Air. You'll be studying the magick of Air, the history, science, and you'll be taking a class on how to use it. Then you get an extra circular class, and Advisory that everyone has." She took a breath and waited for me to start.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Remember I told you I'm water. Oh and your going to have a roommate. She's cool though. Her name is Rathina and she's also an Air worker." She gestured around the white walled room and looked back at me. "Welcome to your new life." My mind was still confused, but she just laughed.

"Come on, I want to show you around." She grabbed my hand and we started walking out the door. She was wearing a baby blue dress that moved when she even blinked an eye and her hair was long with blonde ringlets. Her nose was perfect and her eyes were huge. Her eyes were blue and very bright. She led me down a flight of stairs and outside.

"That is your dorm. There are five dorms all around campus, yours is by the east wall of the school and fire is south, west is water and north is earth. Spirit which is usually in the middle has to sleep in our dorms, they get to chose or they go with a friend and Death sleeps under the school. They prefer the complete darkness." She slowed down and walked next to me. I looked down and saw she had black ballet flats on. The sky was dark and I could see really well. There was tiki torches though along the side walk so it wasn't as bad.

We walked by a couple of kids and they smiled at me and headed in different directions. All there hair was also long it was amazing how much they all looked alike. They? I keep saying that. I'm one of them now.

The weird thing is I was comfortable with this. I wasn't freaking out like I usually would I was just calm and actually smiling. It's been awhile since I have smiled. Well two days ago, but I usually smile at least once a day. The ground around me was mostly benches, sidewalk, tiki torches, and grass. It was neatly cut bright green grass. I could just make out a building to my right that I presumed from what Willow told me the earth dorm.

"Where are we going?"

"It's Dinner right now and we are having a ritual for new comer's after-wards. We have those every month. Luckily you made just in time so that you won't have to wait another month." She turned and smiled at me and we took a turn on a different sidewalk. "The ritual is fun. Mostly all you do is become one of us. You'll be shown around and get your schedule. You'll have to go to school every Sunday for a month to learn about our religion. It's just an extra class and there is only like fifteen people in there. So you're not alone and it's not too many that you get distracted."

I smiled. We found this arched door in the front of this two story purplish blue building. Willow held open a glass door and I walked in to find a bright white room with a black desk and a little old lady with gray long hair was behind it playing with the computer. She lowered her glasses and looked at me.

"Oh Anila, you made it!" she smiled at me and got out from behind the desk and gave me a hug.

"This is Mrs. Harold. She's the school secretary!" Willow whispered.

I love old lady hugs. There so full of love and kindness, but this one was different. I could actually feel her love coming off of her and into me. It felt right, but different.

"We have been waiting for you Anila. I hope you like the school. Are you girls headed to Dinner? It's steak tonight." I couldn't stop it, but I gasped.

"Stop worrying Anila. It's not blood its steak. Okay? Normal steak." I realized that I tensed up in the woman's arms so I let her go. She was sweet, but creepy. "I will show you two to the Cafeteria. Come on just this way."

"How big is this whole building?" I asked following the women as she grabbed my hand and Willow linked arms with me.

"Well if your wondering acres, then I have no idea, but it's as big as half of Chicago."

"Wow that's a lot of walking."

"It's not that far Anila. The dorms and the school are close together, but if you count the woods behind the school then it's as big as half of Chicago." Willow laughed when she saw the smile on my face and told Mrs. Harold "I think I can show her from here."

"If you say so. Bye girls." she waved and started walking in the other direction. I noticed she was wearing a sundress with pink small flowers and black shoes with white socks.

"Yeah, she's a little weird, but you'll get used to it. There not all like that."

We took a left turn into another set of glass doors. I could see so many people in there that I really didn't want to go in.

"Are you sure we have to?"

"Yeah, unless you want to stay out here and starve, but I don't think you want that. So come on you can sit with my friends. You already met them, but hey you kind of ran out on us." She laughed.

I didn't.

I felt my cheeks go red right when she dragged me through the door. The room didn't go completely quit like I thought they did in the movies, but a couple did stare, smile, and went back to talking to there friends.

The whole room was filled with red bricks and torches around the walls. It was amazingly easy to see. Every one was eating stake and spaghetti which looked amazingly good.

Willow grabbed my hand and dragged me to a line with different foods on it. I grabbed a plate of spaghetti and a banana and I sprinkled some salt on the spaghetti instead of sauce.

"I've never seen anyone eat it like that?" Willow looked over at me with a disgusted look on her face. "Is it good?"

"Its how my mom taught me to eat spaghetti. I've never liked the sauce, still don't."

"Wow, I'll try it next time." I hurried and grabbed this red stuff and started walking behind Willow. We got to this table with the girls that I met in that meadow.

"Hey guys look who decided to come."

"Umm hey." I kind of waved like and idiot and sat next to Willow burring my face with my new hair.

"Hey chick, don't try to hide we know how it feels to be the new kid. We all went through it." It was Ember the girl with red hair. She reached a crossed the table and put a hand on my arm. I quickly felt hotness through out my body and pulled my arm back.

"Oh I'm sorry."

"It's ok I guess. How did you do that?"

"Oh I'm a fire bender. It's real easy if you know how, but you got to be a fire bender."

"And I'm an air bender?"

"Yeah air benders are rare, but not as rare as spirit."

"Since I was born in winter," the gothic, Fate said. "I'm Death. If you're born in fall your other Air, or Spirit. If you're born in summer your Fire or Earth. And if you're born in spring your other Water or Earth. Also Water could be born in winter."

"Wow."

"Girls leave her alone, it's her first day. She's probably tired." I didn't notice until Gigi said it, but I was tired. I took another bite of my spaghetti and picked up my tray. I looked around and found a trash can. I threw it away and came back to the table. When a voice stopped me,

"Are you Anila?"

"Uh yeah?" she was about six foot tall with brunette hair like mine and green eyes. She was wearing a short black skirt and cowboy boots. She had a tank top with a purple shirt over it and man she looked like a whore.

"I'm Rathina, your room mate. I'm going to bed and I wanted to know if you wanted me to walk you there." I glance at my friends and they were making signs for me to go with her.

"Sure." She grabbed my hand and we exited the building while I waved at Mrs. Harold. "She's nuts isn't she?" Rathina asked.

"Yeah a little."

"I think she just likes attention, I hate people who do that."

I didn't say anything I just kept walking. We made it back outside and the sky looked lighter. We went around the building to the east wall and into the big brick building. We went in to see stairs and I asked:

"Do we have to climb those?"

"Of corse not. With shoes like these I wouldn't make it. Yeah were flying."

"Flying?"

"Yeah come on I'll show ya." She walked us to this room over to the side that had a tube right in the middle. She grabbed my hand and walked me into the tube that was actually bigger than it seemed.

"Okay on my cue I want you to say as high as the sky and as fast as the wind take us to floor three again. It's cheesy, I know, but that's how we get to the room."

"Okay."

"Okay now."

"As high as the sky and as fast as the wind take us to floor three again and again." I said a bit shaky.

My hair started to lift and from some where air was blowing from below us.

"Get ready!" I heard Rathina said as she grabbed my hand and held on tight and I felt myself lifting. And as fast as well wind we were on a different floor. I couldn't even pinpoint the time are feet left the ground and when we landed in a different room. I was laughing.

"Fun huh? That's why I never take the stairs. The only reason we have them is for the Spirit people who live here. Only air benders can work that."

"Wow very exhilarating!"

"Isn't it? Come on now, to our room." She grabbed my hand and ran to our room. I didn't complain it was actually fun to see her purple dress flowing behind her. We finally made it to my room and stepped in. I went to my bed and jumped on it. Then completely passed out.


	6. The Cerimony

"Anila! Wake up!" I was being shaking awake and it was Rathina. "C'mon I completely forgot about the ritual! We've got to go!"

"What ritual?"

"You know for the new comers and the new moon! I have to get you ready!" She started throwing purple gowns at me. "Do you think that they packed you a new moon out fit? God I hope so!" She finally found it and stripped me of my clothing.

"Hey!" she had really cold hands and it seemed as though the clothes were flying. She finally got the gown on and it was very sparkling with an embroidered new moon on the breast. She shoved me in a chair and called someone on her cell.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm getting a water bender up here. Your hair is disgusting and needs a shower." I reached for my hair which felt fine. I looked at the mirror and couldn't believe that I looked a lot older. And wait did my eyes use to be purple?

"I have a question. Why didn't I throw up when I ate at dinner?" I asked when she hanged up the phone and started looking through my hair.

"Because we can only eat blessed food by the goddess and you can't digest unblessed food none of us can." I didn't know that.

The door then opened and a girl with a sparkling blue dress came in. She had bright blue eyes and blonde hair. She looked like Willow.

"Are you ready Anila?"

"Uh yeah I guess?" Rathina grabbed a bottle of shampoo and conditioner and nodded her head. This water bender turned on the faucet in the bathroom then came into our room. Her hands started doing these movements and a ball of water came into the room and landed on my hair but didn't touch any part of my face. I saw in the mirror Rathina squirt a dot of shampoo and conditioner into the ball of water and then the ball started moving. After a couple seconds the ball diapered into the bathroom. My hair was wet and started dripping when Rathina stood in front of me with her hands together and she started touching my hair, piece by piece, and within a minute she stood back and my hair was perfectly dry and styled. It came down in short waves down my back and around my face. I was amazed.

"Wow!"

"Thanks Betsy!" Rathina said.

"No problem. See you at the ritual Anila." I started touching my hair when Rathina slipped into a purple dress like mine and grabbed a pair of black ballet flats.

"You put these on," she threw a pair of flats and I did what she said.

She grabbed my hand and off we went not even taking the tube, but flying down the stairs. The lady at the counter wasn't there when we ran out of the building. I saw Gigi escaping the north tower and she ran along side of us. We didn't turn onto the sidewalk for the main building, but instead took a right turn and into the forest. Rathina was still running and Gigi was falling behind. Grabbed her hand and she started flying next to us. She smiled at me and squeezed my hand. I finally saw lights.

"We are here you can slow down Anila." I didn't notice Rathina slowing to a walk so I did the same. We came to this arena looking thing and we walked in the door with a giant A on it while Gigi went through one with an E. A woman was standing there that I noticed as the girl at the desk. She smiled at me and made five pointed star at my forehead with an oil type thing. Ugh! I might get pimples now!

"Blessed Be," she said. I smiled and repeated what she said then waited for Rathina and she grabbed my hand and led me up some stairs. We opened a door at the end and entered what looked like a football stadium, but rounder and areas of green, purple, red, blue, silver, and black all around in the seats.

"I can't sit with you!" Rathina screamed over the noise. "Your seat is 5-A it's way down there! I'll meet you outside the A exit afterwards! Have fun!" She ran off and I started running down the stairs I finally found my seat in the very front and only five seats away from the stairs.

I looked out into the circle below us and saw the light dim. And an older woman with reddish-gray hair and a red dress came out. At once pandemonium shot out across the red section right next to the purple section. The woman in the middle started dancing, her hair started flying everywhere, and then she just stopped. She looked at each section bowed then mumbled something. She then went back to the red section and reached her hands out and fire escaped them. Candles that I didn't notice were then lit. She did it to every section bowed and moved to stand back faced to the south which happened to be the red section. I didn't know it was south it just came to me.

Then a woman with a blue dress came out with blonde hair and gray on the top did the same thing, but this time the blue section which was a crossed the stadium from us erupted in shouts and screams and laughter. The woman bowed mumbled then she danced looked up to the starlit sky and the new moon and slammed her hand into the ground where a small pond appeared just like Willows. The water bender went and stood back faced to the blue section.

I knew that an Earth bender was going to appear and then a women with brownish-gray hair appeared. I seamed to be noticing a pattern. She did the same thing and but when it was her turn to do some thing cool she went to the pond and put her hand close to the water and started lifting. Her muscles in her arms started rolling and it didn't look easy. A table that looked as though it was made of wood came out of the water and it had roots from trees wrapped around it. There was a five pointed star in the middle of the table and green, purple, red, blue and silver candles lit on the points. And I could just make out a black floating candle floating below the table.

A girl with purple dress and big purple eyes and of coarse gray hair came out. She did what they all did, and started dancing. Then out of no where she flew into the sky. I laughed when our group started screaming. She then started floating back down with a statue in one hand and a bottle in the other. She landed on the ground gracefully and placed the items on the table. She then took her hands placed them out like an airplane then swirled in a circle. My hair was soon caught in a whirlwind and I started laughing with the others.

A girl with a silver dress and a man with a black robe came out holding hands and started murmuring. I then started seeing white figures everywhere. They landed in a circle on the ground and I could just see one winking at me and I saw that it was my mom! Wait a minuet?!

_Don't be scarred it's just me! I'll explain later! Now enjoy._

A voice came into my mind and it sounded like my mom. I calmed down, but my heart was still beating fast.

Everyone stood and I looked around. I stood with them when a woman with a dress that changed colors and hair that looked white. She had black eyes and her face was simply breath taking.

"Welcome to our new moon ritual!" She screamed. "Unity to you all!" I said unity with the others and felt joy come into my heart along with love. "Will our new comers please join us!" I was frightened, but excited. I went down and I saw one of every color come down and join me. The woman told us to go with our element so I went to the woman in the purple dress.

"Hello Anila. My name is Era. I will help you okay? Don't be so anxious." She gave me a hug and I looked to see others getting hugs. I smiled and hugged back. The thing that looked like my mom was right next to us.

_I'll help you also _

She spoke in my mind.

"When Mother calls you your going to go up with me and say Unity then she'll touch your forehead, while I touch your hands and whisper the call of the air women and men and it'll make you official child of Mother and an official Air bender. If you want to back away do it now." I looked around and loved filled me when I looked at my mom.

_I will be with you the whole way. _

I nodded and said "I'm here to stay."

"Good, I am happy to have you join us." She smiled and held my hand. I squeezed her's and we waited. She called up one guy who was from Earth and another for death. A scrawny one came forward for fire and he had a huge head of curly red hair. Then it was the girls turn and I was up first.

"Anila, Daughter of Jennifer, former air bender, and descendent of Hellewise, please come forward!" I stepped up with Era on my right and my mom behind me.

"Unity," I spoke.

Era grabbed both of my hands while Mother gave me that bottle and held it to my lips. I took a sip and immediately felt like running a marathon while carrying twenty men on my back, but at the same time I felt as though I could learn anything! It tasted so good that I whimpered when she took the bottle away.

She put her hand on my fore head and mumbled. I felt a tingle that traveled through me and then a felt as though I was floating even though my feet were on the ground. She took her hand away smiled and then Era pulled me back to our spot. I couldn't see anything but blurs and I felt dizzy.

"Your okay, it's normal not to be in control of your body." She held me up and finally things became normal again. I stood and smiled so hard that my cheeks were soar. More kids went up and then we were done.

"Thank you for joining the new moon ceremony! Merry meet and merry part till we merry meet again!" She left and all the elements joined together and returned everything to its place, except my mom, she stayed.

_You did so well. _ The ceremony ended and I looked at my mom and said:

"Okay start explaining?!"


End file.
